Vihiga County Governor Wilber Ottichilo has appealed to the national government to help his administration to build a modern stadium in honour of Vihiga Queens.
Ottichilo said he has applied for a Sh200 million grant from the Ministry of Sports to enable the county complete Hamisi Stadium, which is under construction, as a reward to Vihiga Queens, who have just returned from Egypt where they represented the region at the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League in Egypt.
Hamisi Stadium is still under construction after the county government pumped in Sh35 million for the first phase.
Ottichilo says the stadium should be ready to host matches next year if they get the money.
Speaking when he hosted the team, Ottichilo said the application has since been received by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.
Vihiga has two teams in the top flight league – Vihiga Bullets (Football Kenya Federation Premier League) and Vihiga Queens (Women Premier League) – while Vihiga United are in the men’s second tier league – the National Super League.
The governor said the land dispute that had rocked the construction of the stadium has now been resorted, while the Gisambai-Hamisi-Shamakhokho road has been diverted to allow expansion of the facility.
“I am sure we will succeed and complete the stadium because we want it ready next year for use. Our future is in the youth,” said Ottichilo.
The governor said the Sh40 million sports kitty from which Vihiga Queens and other teams draw funding from will be enhanced beginning the next financial year, 2022/23.
“With increased allocation, this will enable us sponsor many teams and develop talents. This, in addition to a fully fledged national stadium, will help nurture more talents locally,” Ottichilo said.
Currently, in the absence of a better facility area, Vihiga Queens FC included are using Bukhungu Stadium and Mumias Sports Complex for their home matches.
On the team’s performance in Egypt where it won only one of the three group stage matches, Ottichilo lauded the Queens for their bravery and asked the players to be “proud of themselves.” BY DAILY NATION